I’m Rafael, also known as UFO on afeitadoclasico.com spanish forum. I live in Seville, Spain, and I’m fond of classic shaving, straight razors both as double-edged safety razors. Although no metal I do professionally, I studied and practiced the profession for quite some time, and this allows me to work with a certain level of quality.

Inaugurated this humble blog telling you how in the beginning to start this, our common hobby, my obsession has always been having stainless steel handles, and in the second half of 2011 I started searching for them, finally seeing that there was little to choose from. Since then hovered in my mind the idea of making a handle of this noble material.

To the point where I’m today I had to overcome difficulties of all kinds, and though at times I leave, hopefully some great friends encouraged me and helped in various ways to continue with perseverance. I will not name, but they know who they are and how much I owe. I can never thank them enough. In this project, which to me is a hobby, there are a lot invested. Illusion, sleepless nights, help from colleagues and friends of the forum, hours of study of old handles, many tests of prototypes, many failed parts, and a few martyrs destroyed.

My idea was to create a unique and original handle but with influences from some old handles, but with its own personality. Copying a handle would have been easier, less laborious and much faster, but I wanted to be honest with you and with myself.

I looked for the best material at my disposal, 316L stainless steel. There are other of better and easier machining, as the T304, but from the beginning it was clear that although the difficulties were greater to mechanize, I would at 316L. This steel, used in surgical materials for their high biocompatibility, and in marine environments because of its high resistance to corrosion, was the soul of my first handle, U1.

I chose the M5x0.8 metric thread pitch, being the most used in current heads and in the old Gillette’s, so that the handle could be used with the greatest possible range of heads.

Today I’m now completing my second series, U2, and I made several prototypes 15 mm caliber, and different materials. Some handles have crossed the Atlantic and English Channel. This trip, though I getting dizzy, has no return. Always forward. With your support and help. Thank you.

Be welcome to this blog, which will be the channel of communication of this humble craftsman. Stay tuned.